


Late Nights and Romantic Advice

by icandrawamoth



Series: Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters AU [2]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Actual Disney Princess Cosette, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - X-Men Fusion, Empath, Empathy, F/M, Gen, I like tags too much, Late at Night, Mutant Powers, Pining, Xavier Institute, pining Éponine, romantic advice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-14
Updated: 2013-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-04 14:45:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Empath Courfeyrac runs into an upset Éponine in the middle of the night, and they discuss her Marius situtation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Late Nights and Romantic Advice

Courfeyrac is a boy suited to daylight. His ever-bright disposition is more complimented by sun and blue skies than darkness and stars. He is finding after a week at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, however, that night can be more comfortable. When it’s late and most of his classmates have gone to bed, exhausted after day of normal high school classes as well as those teaching them to use their powers and use them responsibly, he has room to think, to feel his own emotions without so many others pressing in on him. He doesn’t need to work so hard to keep himself _himself_.

Now, at nearly two a.m., as he wanders toward the second floor kitchen, the school is silent save for the occasional creak of the old mansion shifting. He is aiming for a drink and maybe a snack before heading back to bed, but as he approaches, he can feel that he’s not alone. Foreign emotions tug at the edge of his mind. He sighs, too tired himself to push away the strong feelings – despair, frustration. Defeat. Despite himself, his heart goes out to this person, even though he doesn’t know who it is yet, wishing he could relieve their pain.

He reaches the door to the kitchen and steps inside. There’s a girl sitting at the table, long dark hair hanging in her face as she stares at an unopened bottle of water clenched between her hands. Courfeyrac recognizes her from a few of his classes; she has the ability to shield herself, become practically invincible, when she concentrates. The emotions are radiating off of her. She looks up, startled, when she hears him enter.

“Hi,” he says softly, giving her a little sympathetic smile as he moves to pour himself a glass of orange juice from the fridge. “Do you mind if I join you?”

She shakes her head. Her eyes are dry, but he knows she wants to cry. He tries to pull back, give her some privacy, but it’s hard, almost like she’s calling out for someone to share her pain.

He smiles again and sits down across from her. “I’ve seen you in class, but I don’t think we’ve ever met properly. I’m Courfeyrac.” He holds out his hand.

“Éponine.” She gives it a quick shake.

“It’s nice to meet you, Éponine.” He takes a long drink of his juice, trying to decide what to say without sounding like a creep. “I can tell you’re really upset,” he says finally and at her surprised look explains, “I’m an empath. I can feel what you’re feeling. I didn’t mean to butt in or anything, it just happened. I wasn’t shielding myself, cuz I didn’t think anyone was awake down here. And your feelings are really strong. Is everything okay?” He knows it’s a silly question to ask. Of course it isn’t; he felt himself how upset she is.

She laughs harshly, and Courfeyrac is painfully aware from the slight crack in it how quickly it could turn to a sob. “Yeah, like you care. You don’t even know me.”

“But I do. Care. I know how awful you feel, and I want to make it better, if I can. Doesn’t matter if I know you or not. But it’s okay if you’d rather not talk about it.”

She looks confused by that, as if she can’t quite believe that he really means it. Then she drops her eyes, picks nervously at a dent at the edge of the table. “I suppose I could use someone to talk to, if you don’t mind terribly.”

“I asked, didn’t I?”

Her lips quirk up slightly, and she continues to scratch at the table. “It’s kind of stupid, really.”

“Nothing’s stupid if you feel this strongly about it.”

That causes her to look up and give him a little smile. “Thank you for saying so. It’s just…this boy. Marius Pontmercy, you probably know him.”

Courfeyrac grins. “Nerdy kid with freckles, disappears when he gets nervous? Yeah, I know him.”

Éponine’s smile turns fond, then tinges with sadness. “I knew him before we came here. I’ve had a crush on him for as long as I can remember. Love him, even, you could say. I always meant to tell him, but could never figure out how or find the right moment. Then we came here, and now he’s all about that Cosette girl.”

“The one he can’t talk to without stuttering and vanishing over every other sentence.” Courfeyrac chuckles, but Éponine obviously doesn’t find it funny in the least.

“He’s never looked at me like that. I don’t know if he’d even really consider me a friend. He’s so _blind_ , and it’s just so frustrating! Now her, all blonde and able to talk to animals and everything like some kind of freaking Disney princess. I can never compete with that!”

Courfeyrac winces. “Wow, that is tough. I’m sorry.”

She sighs and drops her head into her hands. “God, love is the worst.”

“Sometimes. Say, do you know Musichetta? She could–”

“My roommate,” Éponine interjects, “and, no, I can’t ask her what she sees for us. To know for sure would be great, but I couldn’t stand that kind of disappointment if we’re really not meant to be.” She sighs deeply. “I just hate this. I don’t know what to do.”

“All you really can do is tell him,” Courfeyrac says. “Explain how you feel, and he’ll have to choose.”

“He seems so happy around her,” Éponine murmurs, seeming suddenly uncertain. “I don’t want to break that up for my sake. If being with Cosette is what makes him happy…”

“Sometimes we just have to do what’s best for us. It’s your choice, but if you wait too long, it’s going to be too late.” An idea strikes him. “Do you want me to talk to him for you?”

“No!” Éponine cries. She bites her lip and continues, more calmly, “No. I’ll…figure something out. I have to think more. It’s just…it sucks, you know?”

“I don’t know exactly, it’s never happened to me, but I think so, yeah. It doesn’t sound like fun.”

“No.” She presses a hand over her mouth as a yawn forces itself out.

Courfeyrac smiles at her sympathetically. “Perhaps you should sleep on it. Being exhausted and upset certainly isn’t going to help you think matters through in any good way.”

“No, I suppose you’re right.” She stands and puts her still-unopened bottle back in the fridge. “Thank you for talking to me, Courfeyrac. I’ve never really told anyone about it before. That was nice.”

He smiles, saluting her gently with his glass. “Anytime. If you need anything or wanna talk some more, just let me know, okay? I hope everything works out, for all of you.”

“I will, thanks.” She smiles, and he knows without his power that it is genuine. She is much more at ease now than when he first came in. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Éponine.” He watches her leave, then downs the rest of his juice before returning to his own room.


End file.
